St. James's Park, London

St. James's Park, London (must see)

Once upon a royal time, a queen casually asked her courtier how much it would cost to kick the public out of St. James鈥檚 Park. The courtier, with nerves of steel and a flair for drama, replied, 鈥淥nly your crown, ma鈥檃m.鈥� And that pretty much sums up the importance of this place鈥攎ess with the people鈥檚 park, and you鈥檙e one coronation short of a monarchy.

Wedged gracefully between three heavy-hitters鈥擝uckingham Palace, St. James鈥檚 Palace, and the political power zone of Westminster鈥擲t. James鈥檚 Park is London鈥檚 oldest and arguably most charming green retreat. Back in 1532, Henry VIII thought this marsh was in great need of deer, so he snapped it up for his very own deer nursery. Later, during the reign of James I, the land was drained, and an aviary was installed (giving rise to the name Birdcage Walk), along with a zoo that featured exotic species like crocodiles, camels, and even an elephant.

Then came Charles II, freshly returned from exile in France with some serious garden envy after ogling Versailles. He rolled up his sleeves and transformed the park into a regal playground with neat avenues, fruit trees, a canal, and a whole zoo of goats, sheep, and deer casually grazing the lawns. By the 1700s, the park had taken a turn for the scandalous, becoming a preferred hunting ground for the affluent individuals seeking... nighttime companions.

In the 19th century, the romantic stylings of John Nash (one of the foremost British architects of the Georgian and Regency eras) gave the park its current look鈥攁 picturesque escape with winding paths and dreamy views. Peer down the lake toward Buckingham Palace, and you can easily imagine having wandered onto a countryside estate鈥攗ntil a pelican flaps by.

Speaking of birds, Duck Island at the lake鈥檚 eastern tip is a feathery haven for pelicans, swans (King-owned, naturally), geese, and ducks. From March to October, deck chairs appear like sun-seeking mushrooms鈥攑erfect for office lunch breaks or tuning into a bandstand performance at midday.

Evenings are a delight here too, as the lake reflects the glowing silhouettes of Westminster Abbey and the Parliament buildings. It鈥檚 part fairy tale, part postcard, and entirely worth a visit. Lush lawns, birds with better titles than you, and the occasional live performance. Basically, it鈥檚 where London goes to exhale...

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in London. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: St. James's Park
Sight Location: London, England (See walking tours in London)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

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